Shipping container



R. A. HAMBURG SHIPPING CONTAINER July 14, 1959 Filed July 30, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ROBERT A. BAM BURG BY im July 14, 1959 R, BAMBURG 2,894,672

SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed July 30, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-3 INVENTOR. ROBERT A. BAMBURG y 1959 R. A. BAMBURG 2,894,672

SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed July 30. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet. 3

INVENTOR. ROBERT A. BAMBURG United StatesPatent O SHIPPING CONTAINER Robert A. Bamburg, West Monroe, La., assignor to Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Virginia Application July 30, 1957, Serial No. 675,096

4 Claims. (Cl. 229-27) The present invention relates to fiberboard boxes and in particular to a fiberboard box adapted to receive small containers of perishable berries such as strawberries, blueberries, and the like.

The term fiberboard is intended to include fibrous sheet material in plain or corrugated form having a semirigid body and usually slit, slotted or creased in a well known manner to facilitate folding the sheet into a box structure.

A particular feature of the present invention is the provision of a shipping container for perishable berries which provides maximum ventilation and maximum freedom from vibration and stacking pressures. Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a shipping container of the above general character which is provided with stacking locks or tabs which enable one container to be stacked upon another in a locked relationship eliminating the necessity for bundling the containers with metal strips or wires.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a shipping container having a generally smooth exterior surface and one which lends itself to manual handling eliminating the hazards attendant with projecting splinters of wood and projecting wires.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a shipping container having increased area upon all exterior surfaces suitable for printing, labeling, and the like.

A particular feature of the present invention is the provision of a container structure having a resilient partition formed therein in the form of a pair of opposed, bowed panels which divide the container into two compartments and at the same time tend to apply lateral pressure upon the small berry containers disposed within each compartment thereby damping vibration or lateral motion of the small containers and eifecting a shock absorber."

A shipping container embodying certain features of the present invention and formed of a single blank may comprise a bottom wall having display tabs formed therein, end walls each defining a pair of spaced panels and opposed sidewalls each having an integrally formed flap, said flaps cooperating with one another and with the sidewalls to develop a resilient, double paneled partition dividing the box into two compartments.

A more complete understanding of the invention will appear from the succeeding specification when read in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a single panel of fiberboard scored, slotted and cut so that it may be folded into a container structure embodying the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lid structure; I

Fig. 3 is a perspective view and illustrates the box structure partially set up, showing to advantage the manner 'of locking the center flaps to provide a resilient partition.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of two fully set up containers illustrating the operation of the stacking tabs;

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Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing to advantage the manner of securing the lid; and,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the assembled box structure showing the display tabs operative to tilt the container upwardly with respect to the horizontal for display purposes.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Figs. 1 and 2, it is apparent that the dot-dash lines are intended to represent scores or creases along which the panel structure is folded.

The reference numeral 10 refers generally to a fiberboard panel from which a plurality of ventilation holes 11 have been struck. The panel is slotted as at 12 to receive locking tabs 13. The panel is scored as at 14 to define panels 16 which, when folded along the score lines, effect an end wall structure where the panels 16 are spaced at the top by the channel 17 and converge at the bottom as the tabs 13 are inserted into the slots 12.

End braces or flaps 17 are turned inwardly along score lines 18 to provide rigidity at opposed ends of the double paneled end Wall.

Obviously, both end walls are set up in the same fashion.

The sidewalls of the container are formed by folding the panels 19 along the score line 22; thereafter the panels 19 and 21 are folded along score line 23 to develop sidewalls;

In the course of the above operation, flaps 24 are folded along score lines 26 so that when the box structure is developed to the extent shown in Fig. 3, the flaps 24 project generally across the interior of the box in opposition to one another to divide the box into two compartments.

Note that each 27 which, when folded along score line 28, may be tucked between panels 19 and 21 respectively to lock the flaps securely.

The flaps 24 are purposely designed to be slightly longer than the width of the box so that when the flaps are tucked they tend to bow away from one another as shown in Fig. 3.

The arrangement of the partition, defined by the bowed flaps 24, eflfects a resilient wall or a shock absorber for creating a steady lateral pressure upon berry boxes disposed in each compartment.

Note that when panels 16 are folded upon one another 3 stacking tabs 29 project upwardly and are poised to be received within corresponding slots 31 formed in the panel to facilitate interlocking one container with another.

Note further, that when the containers are stacked the bottom of an upper container serves as the lid for the container next below.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 6, reference numeral 32 designates a double legged display flap which is folded along score lines 33 and 34 so that tab 36 may be interlocked across notches 37 to provide a tilting support for the box as is apparent in Fig. 6.

Fig. 2 shows the lid structure (for enclosing the top container of a stack) having a plurality of ventilated openings 11 and cover locking tabs 38. The tabs 38 are folded downwardly along score lines 39 and are received within the opening 41 (Fig. 3) notched out as at 42 to provide clearance for the notches 43.

As is apparent in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the box structure of the present invention provides for ventilation through the plurality of openings 11. It is also noted that there is an air passage between the double panels 16 of the end walls and between the panels of the resilient partition defined by the flaps 24.

Furthermore, air may move through the container structure when stacked vertically since the ventilation openings in the bottom of one container communicate flap 24 is provided with a locking tab I 0 with corresponding openings in the container next above.

Attention is also directed to the fact that the pressure created in stacking one container upon another is not transferred to the small berry containers disposed within the large container of the present invention since these stresses are carried by the double paneled end walls, sidewalls and center partition. in this connection, it is to be noted that the corners of the container are strengthened against compressive load, vertically, by the angular end braces 17.

It is to be understood that the invention shown and described herein is merely illustrative of one embodiment thereof and it is intended that a variety of variations thereof may be devised as considerations of design and protection of perishables may dictate without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A shipping container folded from a single blank of sheet material comprising a bottom, a pair of opposed sidewalls and a pair of opposed end walls, said sidewalls including a pair of panels each and one panel of each pair having a flap formed integral therewith and disposed oppositely across the interior of the container to divide the container into two compartments, each flap having a locking tab adapted to be tucked between opposed pairs of panels, said flaps being longer than the width of the container effective to cause the flaps to bow away from one another to define an air passage thereby creating a shock absorber.

2. A shipping container folded from a single blank of sheet material comprising a bottom, a pair of opposed sidewalls and a pair of opposed end walls, a portion of said sidewalls being double paneled, said sidewalls having fiaps formed integral therewith and disposed oppositely across the interior of the container to divide the container into two compartments, said flaps being formed with locking Lil tabs adapted to be received between the double panels of corresponding sidewalls, said flaps being longer than the width of the container etfe'ctiveto cause the flaps to bow away from one another thereby creating a shock absorber' 3. A shipping container folded from a single blank of sheet material comprising a bottom, a pair of opposed sidewalls and a pair of opposed end walls, each said sidewall having a flap formed integral therewith, said flaps cooperating with one another and with the sidewalls to form a double paneled partition dividing the container into two compartments and each panel being bowed and presenting a resilient, convex surface to each compartment.

4. A self-stacking shipping container folded from a single blank of sheet material comprising a bottom wall formed with display tabs and having notches for receiving stacking tabs, a double paneled end wall structure having upwardly projecting locking tabs, a pair of opposed sidewalls partially double paneled and each having oppositely projecting flaps cooperating with one another and with the double paneled portions of said sidewalls to develop a transverse partition, said flaps being longer than the width of the container effective to cause the flaps to bow away from one another, said container being adapted for vertical stacking whereby the upwardly projecting locking tabs of one container are received in corresponding slots formed in the bottom of a second container disposed above said one container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,698,125 Vizcarrondo et al Dec. 28, 1954 2,710,133 Repking et al. June 7, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 64,093 Denmark Oct. 29, 1945 

